Feed mechanism for profiling machines



lJuly 16, `1940. J. DIXON `FEED MEGHANISM FOR PROFILING MACHINES Filed 1m. 17; 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY K July' 16, 1940. J. C@ DIXCN 2,207,786 4,

' FEED IECHANISM FOR PROFILING MACHINES Filed Dec. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ARQ. "l

lllll /l INVENTOR.

Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES? FEED MECHANISM Fon PRoFILlN MACHINES John C. Dixon, y Hartford, Conn., assignor to Niles-Bement-Pond Company, Hartford, Conn., a. corporation of New Jersey Application- December 17, 1938, Serial No. 246,272

(Cl. till-13.2)

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a hand operated profiling machine, and more particularly to a mechanism for downwardly feeding the cutter head and'cutter a predetermined distance upon com- 5 pletion of movement of the cutter about the outline being profiled.

An object of the invention is to provide selfactuating downward feeding means for the cutter head and cutter of a profiling machine adapted to be actuated whenever the cutter carriage is moved horizontally and laterally to or beyond a predetermined position.v

One feature that enables me to accomplish the above named object is that a ratchet wheel is l5 mounted upon a shaft carrying a gear meshing with a vertical rack on the cutter head, there being a spring mounted pawlon the frame of the 'machine adapted to engage and advance the ratchet wheel when the cutter carriage is moved laterally to an extreme position, a locking plung-k er on the carriage serving to prevent upward movement of the cutter head during operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown the invention embodied in a single spindle horizontally movable cutter head and table type of proiiling machine. It will be understood, however, that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specifica- Ytionbeing relied upon for that purpose.

` In the drawings:

" Figure 1 is a front elevation of thel principal .40 operative parts of a single spindle profiling machine having the present invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionalview taken upon the planes of brokenline 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on Vthe plane of line 3 8 in Fig. 1, and n Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in section, showing in detail the construction of the cutter head feeding rack and actuating notched bar for the cutter head.

In the above-mentioned drawings there has been shown but one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modiiications may be made within the scope of the appended a part of the machine frame.

claims without departing from' the spirit of the invention.

Briefly and in its preferred aspect, the invention may include the following principal parts: First, a horizontally movable carriage slidable 5 laterally on a iixed member forming a portion of .the frame of a profiling machine; second, a cutor securedto the gear; fifth, a vertical locking 15 rackfor the head mounted adjacent and parallel to the feeding rack; sixth, a locking'plunger engaging the feeding rack; seventh, a spring lmounted pawl adaptedv to engage the ratchet wheel; and eighth, an abutment on a fixed porzo tion of the machine to advance the pawl a limited distance and rotate the ratchet wheel when the cutter carriage is moved laterally beyond a predetermined position.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the 2 drawings, there is shown a conventional or standard form of profiling machine having a horizontally movable tool supporting carriage I0 adapted to be reciprocated along ways II formed'on 'I'hese reciproca- 30 tory movements may be effected through appropiate mechanism by means of a hand lever i2. Mounted on horizontal ways 9 on the frame below the carriage I0 is a work supporting carriage I3 movable laterally along ways on the frame by 85 rotation of a hand lever I4. As these partsl and the mechanism for moving them form no part of the present invention, it is not thought that further description of the table i3 and the cutter carriage I0 will be required. The work table 40 I3, it will be understood, is reciprocated in a horizontal plane in one direction and the cutter carriage I0 is reciprocated in another horizontal plane above the plane of the table in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of 45 the table I3. These movements of the carriage I0 and table I3 to effect the profiling operations require the operator to constantly manipulate the handles I2 and I4. The present invention provides means to feed the cutter head I5 downward 50 while the operator continues to operate the handles I2 and I I and without stopping the cutting operation.

Mounted for vertical movement in the cutterl carriage is the cutter head I5 within which is 55 rotatably mounted a cutter spindle I3 on which may be mounted the cutter I1. The spindle I6 may be rotated by any appropriate means as by the electric motor I8 shown in Fig. 1. Mounted along one side of this cutter head I6 is a rack 2|! suitably secured in fixed position on the head and adapted to mesh with a gear 2| rotatably mounted on a horizontal forwardly extending shaft 22 rotatably mounted in the carriage I0 laterally adjacent the cutter head. Rotation of this gear 2| will therefore move the cutter head I5 vertically up or down. Also mounted on the vcutter head I5 is a locking rack 23 preferably' mounted for vertical adjustment relative to the head I5 by means of a screw 24 extending through a rotatable nut 25 on the upper surface of the carriage I0. This locking rack 23 is adapted to be engaged by a locking plunger 26 mounted for lateral movement toward and from the rack 23, there being a spring 2l normally forcing this locking plunger 23 into engaging position with therack to retain the head I5 against upward movement. A handle or lever 28 attached to the plunger 26 is provided for retracting the plunger 26 to permit upward movement of the cutter head I5.

Mounted on theshaft 22 for rotation with the .gear 2| is a ratchet wheel 29 which may preferably be formed integrally with the gear. This ratchet wheel 29 is adapted to be engaged by a laterally movable pawl 30 mounted for horizontal movement in the carriage Iii, there being a spring 3| normally forcing the pawl 30 to its retracted or non-contacting position. As shown in Fig. 2 the pawl 30 is pivotallymounted on a plunger 32 and held in its lower position against a stop 33 by a light leaf spring 34. The plunger 32 has threaded to it a nut 35 and within the recess for the plunger 32 and bearing against the nut is housed the spring 3|.

Mounted adjacent the carriage I0 and on a fixed part of the machine is an abutment or bracket 36 adjustable to any desired lateral position. Upon movement of the carriage I0 laterally to the right as shown in Fig. l, the pawl 3U will be forced to the left with its plunger 32 against the pressure of springs 3| and will rotate the ratchet wheel 29 one or more of its notches. As shown in Fig. 2 the nut 35 on plunger 32 has but limited movement which is suf- :cient to feed the cutter head I5 downward a predetermined distance. By varying the position of the nut 35 on the plunger 32 the distance moved by the plunger 32 and pawl 30 can be readily varied. Within the abutment 36 is a spring pressed head 31 so that further movement of the carriage to the right after contacting the plunger 32 will cause retraction of the head 31 within the abutment 36. The rotation of ratchet wheel 29 will also rotate the gear 2| and will thus force the cutter head I5 downward so that the locking pawl 2B will engage another tooth in the locking or indexing rack 23.

Preferably, the cutter head I5 is counterbalanced so that it will be normally forced toward its. uppermost position. A hand lever 38 plv-.-

otally mounted on the portion of the cutter head I5 is attached to a link 39 engaging the fixed part of the machine so that the cutter head I5 may be manually moved downwardA at any time or moved upward when the locking pawl 26 is retracted.

In operation the two hand levers I2 and Il are operated in the usual manner to move the table I3 toward and from the operator and to move the cutter carriage III laterally over the table I3 to cut any outline that may be desired, there being a pin adapted to engage a model or template of the work piece being formed. With each movement of the cutter carriage I0 laterally toward the right to or beyond a predetermined position the end of the plunger 32 carrying the feeding pawl 30 strikes against the head 31 and causes rotation of the ratchet wheel 29 and gear 2| to force the cutter head I5 downwardly against the weight of the counterbalance. completion of an outline of a work piece by these means the cutter head l5 may be given a feeding movement downward of any desired amount depending upon the distance permitted to be moved by the index pawl 30.

What I claim is:

1. Feeding mechanism for a profiling machine cutter head comprising in combination a machine frame, a carriage supported for horizontal movement thereon, a cutter head movable vertically within said carriage, a rack on said head engaging a gear rotatably mounted in said `carriage and engaging said rack, ratchet means to rotate said gear and move said head in one direction, means to operate said ratchet means when said carriage'is moved to a predetermined position, a locking rack adjustably secured to said head, and a spring pressed plunger on said carriage engaging said last mentioned rack and retaining said head against upward movement.

2. Feeding mechanism for a profiling machine cutter head comprising in combination, a ma- With each.

chine frame, a carriage supported for horizontaly movement thereon, a cutter head movable vertically within said carriage, a rack on said head engaging a gear rotatably mounted in said carriage and engaging said rack, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said gear, a pawl engaging said ratchet .wheel slidably mounted within said carriage, an

abutment on said machine frame adapted when said carriage is moved to a predetermined position to move said pawl and advance said gear and rack to feed said cutter head downward, a locking rack adjustably'secured to said head, and a spring pressed plungeron said carriage engaging said last mentioned rack and retaining said head against upward movement.

3. Feeding mechanism for a profiling machine cutter head comprising in combination. a machine frame, a carriage supported for horizontal movement thereon, a cutter head movable vertically within said carriage, a rack on said head engaging a gear rotatably mounted in said carriage and engaging said rack, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said gear, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel and normally spring pressed in one direction within said carriage, a spring pressed abutment on said machine frame adapted when said carriage is moved to a predetermined position to move said pawl and advanceV said gear in a direction to feed said cutter head downward, a locking rack adjustably secured to said head, and a spring pressed plunger on said carriage engaging said last mentioned rack and retaining said head against upward movement.

` JOHN C. DIXON. 

